Deputy Interior Minister Ebenezer Terlarbi has admitted that Ghana’s overstretched criminal justice and prison systems are unable to effectively prosecute and detain foreign nationals involved in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, Mr. Terlarbi defended the controversial directive by Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak, which includes the immediate deportation of arrested foreign nationals and the mass transfer of police commanders in mining zones.
The policy has triggered sharp criticism from civil society groups, opposition leaders, and security analysts who argue that it reflects a troubling double standard in law enforcement and undermines Ghana’s fight against transnational environmental crime.
“The fact is, we know when it comes to litigation in this country, dealing with our courts, it can sometimes be very frustrating,” Mr. Terlarbi said.
“We have instances where people are arrested, and we prefer repatriating them rather than taking them through our courts.”
He explained that the system is ill-equipped to manage the legal and logistical demands of prosecuting foreign nationals, especially when arrests involve large numbers.
“You arrest about 80 Chinese, and you have to find a place to keep them. Sometimes, even vehicles to take them to court are a problem,” he revealed. “You go to court and they succeed in getting bail.”
While Ghanaians arrested for illegal mining are routinely prosecuted, Mr. Terlarbi maintained that the same approach is often impractical when dealing with foreigners.
“Certainly,” he admitted when asked if this amounted to a double standard, “but the point is that there are a few things that I wouldn’t like to disclose. Some of the things that happen behind the scenes, I wouldn’t like to disclose everything on air or in public, but there’s so much going on. In fact, if we don’t take care, we are going to lose this fight again.”
The Deputy Minister said the decision to deport is not about leniency but rather a pragmatic response to a broken system.
“We are looking at 1,400 inmates we have now and feeding them is even a problem,” he disclosed. “So if there’s a way not to exacerbate the situation by sending them back to their home countries, I think I would opt for that.”
He added that many of the foreign nationals arrested further complicate prosecution by withholding identification.
“You arrest some of them, then they tell you they don’t have their passport, and their identities become difficult to establish. Once they get into the system, it is difficult to track some of them,” he said.
Pressed by the host on whether deportation without trial sets a dangerous precedent, especially when Ghanaians face the full weight of the law, Mr. Terlarbi replied: “Let’s be realistic. The situation at hand—we cannot do things the same way and think that we’ll have the same results. We need to be a little innovative.”
When the host challenged him on the fairness of the approach, saying, “You are okay dealing with the frustrations regarding the court when it comes to Ghanaians, but you are not okay dealing with the same individuals when they are foreigners? That is double standards at best,” the Deputy Minister responded: “Not really.”
His remarks underscore growing concern that the fight against illegal mining is being undermined not just by the activities of foreign nationals, but by systemic weaknesses in Ghana’s justice and enforcement institutions.
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